Each year millions of people worldwide suffer from insomnia.  Many may not know however that insomnia is solely a symptom, not an independent diagnosis or disease.   Insomnia in definition is the difficulty of falling asleep and the inability to stay asleep.   Although there are many different degrees of insomnia, over time three different types have clearly been identified; transient, acute and chronic.  In this article we will focus on chronic insomnia and its link to memory loss.

It is known that chronic insomnia can cause both short-term and long-term memory loss.  Chronic insomnia can be caused by a number of disorders or can be a primary problem.  The effects can differentiate depending on the causes.  Some of these causes may include, but are not exclusive to, sleepiness, mental fatigue, hallucinations, muscular fatigue and restlessness. Studies preformed at numerous universities have had interesting findings that link memory loss and insomnia.  Such studies stated that cognitive defects such as memory loss caused by sleep deficiency could be reversed by decreasing the concentration of particular enzymes in the hippocampus, the portion of the brain which is the key to memory and learning.  Other medical professionals believe that insomnia triggered memory problems are all lifestyle related.  Traveling, frustrations, worries, daily stressors, large late meals and intense activites all can lead to the onset of chronic insomnia.  Wherever it may hail from, when insomnia becomes chronic to the point of memory loss or memory loss remains after the insomnia, one seeks a cure.

The most recent of medical discoveries to cure memory loss due to insomnia is an enzyme inhibitor called Rolipram.  Rolipram is a drug used to treat depression and has the possibility to improve memory problems of sleep-deprived individuals.  These findings have defined a molecular mechanism underlying the numerous effects of sleep deprivation of the hippocampal functions at the synaptic and behavioral level.   This progress will give researchers and doctors alike insight into what is truly going on in the brain.

For those who wish to seek a more holistic cure without medication, there are numerous avenues from which one can choose.  Diet is key.  It is important to stick to three well-balanced healthy meals low in sugar and hydrogenated oils.  Also one should avoid coffee, soft drinks, tea, chocolate, alcohol, strong condiments, white rice, and foods containing white flour products, food colorings, and all chemical additives.  Simple home remedies such as the usage of the herb Brahmi and consuming raw almonds can prove to be extremely beneficial in combating weakness of the brain caused by lack of sleep.  Apples are a great treatment for lack of memory, rich in potassium, b1, phosphorous and glutamic acid.  Outside of diet, meditation and relaxation are well renowned techniques available to treating memory loss.  Relaxation eliminates fatigue and enables muscles to work more efficiently.  It promotes arterial blood circulation throughout the body.  Meditation will aid in the creation of a balance in one’s nervous system.  Doing so will allow glands to be in a more accurate state creating the hormonal balance needed to treat memory loss.  Memory loss and mental weakness are the most common of symptoms caused by insomnia and can be well treated and even cured by the application of various home and natural remedies.

The key in curing any symptom is to discover the cause of the disorder.  Once you get to the root of the problem, you will be able to create the best plan of recovery for you and your own specific situation.  Dealing with the consequences is secondary.  Focusing on the basics of how we lead our lives and the direct impact that our choices have on our sleep is primary.  Memory loss, whether coinciding with insomnia or lingering after a cured case of insomnia, can be handled through both medical and holistic lifestyle changes resulting in the return of memory.